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SURFACE CREEK NEWS
FOCUS ON BUSINESS Local businesses are in the spotlight, Inside
SPORTS
A FUN-LOVING GROUP Cedaredge Clowns bring joy to senior citizens, C1
A SHOT AT THE TITLE Delta boys and girls earn trip to state basketball tournament, B5
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DELTA COUNTY
MARCH 6, 2019 VOL. 136, NO. 10
75¢
INDEPENDENT
www.deltacountyindependent.com
First county land use forum well attended BY ANNETTE BRAND Staff Writer
Over 50 community members gathered at the Creamery in Hotchkiss Thursday evening, Feb. 28, to hear comments from a panel discussing “Why do land use regulations matter in building community prosperity?” On the panel were Tate Locke, a member of the Delta County Planning Commission; Sam Kimbriel, a local business owner with decades of development experience; Lynn Tallent, a local developer, “local” including Montrose and Grand Junction; Stacey Voight, representing Delta County Economic Development; and Delta County Commissioner Mike Lane. Those attending asked their questions and made their comments to the panel members and Elyse Casselberry, the county’s community and economic development director, who facilitated the discussion. Tate noted the difference between the county’s revised
Master Plan, adopted last year, which sets forth vision and goals, and the land use regulations now being discussed, which will create a set of regulations that define property rights: that is, what an individual can do with his property and what his neighbors do with their property, taking into consideration the impact of each on the other. Voight said “land use” is defined as what happens to the land itself, but in reality land use is what happens to the occupants as well, as the land and water are occupied and utilized. She noted that when growth and economic development come together, development will occur where growth can connect to existing services enabling resources to work together. She said land use regulations have a negative impact when regulations are not well thought out and ask property owners to do too much. Think of economic development, but don’t ask too much of development. She
said, “We need to get that vision now, as we are developing the regulations.” Kimbriel said financing trends, what government is doing and what’s going on next door affect the risks a developer is willing to take. There is a piece of property available across from his business, Needle Rock Brewing Company, but he’s not willing to take the risk because he does not know what’s going to happen next door to that property. Tallent said Montrose and Montrose County have more complex planning and review, that it is a “well-oiled machine” with better guidelines to follow. He said Delta County is like the wild west. Growth is slow; not a lot of land is being developed in Delta County. Kimbriel added that Delta County today is like a gigantic homeowners association, a big cooperation of neighbors who get together to protect next door. LAND USE TO A3 Photo submitted
Conservatives gather to hear update from Matt Soper BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Interested citizens crowded into the lower portion of Needlerock Brewery, eager to engage with Matt Soper, who was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in November. The legislative briefing was hosted by the Libertarian Party of Delta County on Saturday, March 2. Party chairman Jay Stooksberry introduced Soper, who said it’s a “unique and awesome” responsibility to represent his hometown. During the early weeks of the legislative session, Soper has observed that the 65 members of the House do not normally engage in the partisan bickering citizens see in Washington, D.C. “I’ve observed some bills that are strictly party line, but probably 90 percent are not party issues. They may be geographic issues, but they’re not always Democrat vs. Republican,” he said. Soper is assigned to the Committee on Legal Services, Judiciary Committee and Health & Insurance Committee. He had been on the House floor until 10 p.m. the previous night debating the extreme risk protection bill. It was soon apparent that most constituents in the audience were well aware of the bill’s provisions. House Bill 1177 creates the ability for a family or household member or a law enforcement officer to petition the court for a temporary extreme risk protection
INDEX
Accent ........................... A4 Activities ....................... A7 Back Page ................... D6 Business ........................ A8 Church ........................... D4 Classifieds .................. D1-2 Editorial ......................... A2 Legals ......................... D2-3 North Fork Times ........B1-3 Obituaries ......................C6 School Zone .................. A5 Service Directory ........ D5 Sports ..........................B5-8 Surface Creek News ...C1-5 TV Listings ..................C3-4
order (ERPO). According to a summary on the Colorado General Assembly website, the petitioner must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that a person poses a significant risk to self or others by having a firearm in his or her custody or control or by possessing, purchasing, or receiving a firearm. If an ERPO is issued, the respondent must surrender all of his firearms to a law enforcement agency or a federally licensed firearms dealer. Soper explained why he opposes the bill. Number one, in rural western Colorado, the law enforcement and the court system are already at capacity, yet the ERPO process could take precedence over everything else. He questioned the constitutionality of the proposal, as well as the civil vs. criminal incompatibilities. One member of the audience told Soper of a nationwide restraining order against an ex-spouse who continues to send her emails at least twice a year, despite the passage of 22 years. If he learned of this bill, she said, he could use it to take away her protection. “If he knows I don’t have guns, he can come into my house and finish what he started 22 years ago. What protects me? “Under this bill, nothing,” Soper responded. The Democrats believe this bill can potentially reduce murders and suicide; Soper believes a better option is to fully fund mental health.
Republicans are trying to chip away at some of the worst elements of the bill, but Soper said he believes it will eventually pass both the House and the Senate, and the governor SOPER TO A3
A new, but growing, sport
A group of area residents have discovered that Grand Mesa provides the perfect conditions — open meadows, windy conditions and deep snow — for the sport of snowkiting. Todd Wicklund, who submitted this photo, said he and Anthony Prough of Cedaredge began snowkiting about four years ago and now their group of regulars has grown to eight. They have met other snowkiters from Minnesota, Nevada, Utah and beyond. This photo was taken near the junction of Highway 65 and Land’s End Road.
School district beefs up security with locks, SROs BY PAT SUNDERLAND Managing Editor
Delta County Joint School District #50 was recently awarded a grant of $752,000 from the state Department of Homeland Security for the purpose of increasing security by replacing interior and exterior door locks. A total of 406 interior and 254 exterior door locks will be replaced in 14 different schools at an average cost of $1,250 per lock. Being of newer construction, Cedaredge Elementary School and Delta Middle School require less work. Jim Ventrello, the school district’s business manager, said the grant will be matched with cash of $635,000, an inkind match of labor of $76,000, and project management services estimated at $41,000. Replacing the locks will be a “big undertaking” that could take up to two years, Ventrello said. The cost may seem high, but is due to the fact the locks are all electronic and connected wirelessly to a central location, where an alert will
sound if an exterior door is not secured, then pinpoint the location of that alarm. A classroom or the entire building can be locked and unlocked remotely. With school security a priority nationwide, schools across the country are taking similar steps, and increased demand is pushing up prices, Ventrello said. Currently, most classroom doors can only be locked and unlocked from the hall. The upgrade will make doors lockable from the inside. Keys will be replaced by proximity key cards. The school district has also allocated funds to increase law enforcement presence in each community. A school resource officer is currently available in Paonia schools, and Delta will soon follow suit. The school district and the City of Delta have reached an agreement where the school district will provide $50,000 per school year to help fund a school resource officer. The Delta Police Department is in the process of identifying an
Health fairs set for March 13-14-15 Delta County Memorial Hospital is joining forces with hospital volunteers and local Lions clubs to host the annual health fairs March 13, 14 and 15, according to the following schedule: Wednesday, March 13 — In Paonia at the Technical College of the Rockies building, 6:30 to 10 a.m. Thursday, March 14 — In Delta at Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 6:30 to 11 a.m., with health-related exhibits and displays. Friday, March 15 — In Cedaredge at Cedaredge Civic Center, 6:30 to 10 a.m. Online registration for blood draws is available through the hospital’s website at www.deltahospital.org. Registering online will diminish long waiting lines. DCMH accepts only cash or checks for blood work; no credit cards are accepted and there is no way for DCMH to bill various insurance companies. Fasting for 12 hours is required for all health screens requiring blood draws. Drink plenty of water, one cup of coffee is permitted, and take medications as usual.
officer who will be assigned to cover Lincoln Elementary School, Garnet Mesa Elementary School, Delta Middle School, Delta High School and the Delta Family Center/BELA Preschool. Discussions are underway with Vision Charter Academy for similar coverage. Chief Luke Fedler said he hopes to have the school resource officer in place by early April. During the summer, the officer will join the department’s patrol staff. According to a memorandum of understanding approved by Delta City Council, the goal is to foster a SRO program that will build a positive relationship between law enforcement officers and the youth of Delta and provide a safe learning environment for students, a safe working environment for educational staff, and prevent and reduce offenses committed by juveniles and young adults, including acts of violence. The SRO will also attend special school events, as the officer’s schedule allows.
Cannon joins DMEA
After interviewing a number of candidates, the board of directors of Delta-Montrose Electric Association appointed Stacia Cannon to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of John Gavan. Cannon is a resident of Hotchkiss. She obtained a degree in equine science from Colorado State University and is employed at Black Canyon Veterinary Clinic in Montrose as a veterinary technician and receptionist. She is also the co-owner of Topp Fruits in Hotchkiss and belongs to the Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association, the Valley Organic Growers Association and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.